[net.games.trivia] More on Nobel

ARPAVAX:UNKNOWN:who (11/04/82)

I heard recently that there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics because Nobel
detested a particular mathematician who was certain to win the mathematics
prize if there were one, so he didn't establish one.  Is this true?  And, 
if so, who was the mathematician?  Was this the only area in which he
refused to allow a prize to be established?

Wayne Citrin
ucbvax!v:citrin

wsh (11/04/82)

     I heard recently that there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics
     because Nobel detested a particular mathematician who was
     certain to win the mathematics prize if there were one, so
     he didn't establish one.  Is this true?  And, if so, who was
     the mathematician?  Was this the only area in which he refused
     to allow a prize to be established?

                                             Wayne Citrin
                                             ucbvax!v:citrin


The rumor that I have several times heard is that Nobel did not get
along with Gosta Mittag-Leffler (1846-1927), who was a very fine Swedish
Mathematician (complex analysis).  Reasons for the disagreement vary,
but he is apparently the reason that there is no Nobel Prize in
Mathematics.  I don't know the answer to the last question.
Incidentally, Mathematicians sometimes theorize as to who would win
a Nobel Prize in Mathematics if such existed (and especially who
would win the first one if one were created); the names are seldom
well-known, even among scientifically well-informed laymen (Scientific
American readers, for instance).

                                        Willie Heck
                                        btl - holmdel
                                        houxi!hou5d!wsh